Franklin Delano Roosevelt is one of the most revered presidents in U.S. history. And a teeny tiny device used during his term was a substantial reason why. That device? 

A radio, and this story crystallizes why it’s an immensely powerful medium.

Was he a guest DJ throughout his terms? No. Was he an avid baseball fan whose nightly tune-ins compelled Americans to do the same? Negative.

He just talked to us. No, really, just chats. Fireside chats in fact, to use the precise term. The president used radio to guide us through one of the most challenging times of our country’s history - The Great Depression. And before you suspect this was some out-of-touch politician movie that failed miserably…these evening chats went on for 11 years. 

It’s no coincidence. Radio brings intimacy to communication, and can inspire people  - whether to think, feel or act - like no other medium. 

89 years later after President Roosevelt grasped this, let’s sink our teeth into the true reasons why, and how businesses can use it.

Radio: Trustworthy When Most Media Isn’t

People often return to tried and true methods after new and “improved” iterations arrive. How well are waterbeds doing? Remember Google Glass?

People aren’t just trusting social media less - they’re trusting big business, politicians and institutions less. This creates a de facto increase in trust in what’s been around the block and still kicking strong - radio, and there are multiple reasons why.

First, radio is just simple. Without sacrificing quality of product or impact on its audiences, radio advertising actually requires little labor, compared to other forms. This means you can trust how the final product will sound, because there are fewer intermediate steps. Take television advertising. You may think you have a great script, cast, and crew - but sometimes, a final product just doesn’t land. Actors talk about it all the time - the mystery of, “Is this movie actually going to be good?”. When there are so many steps in a process, the amount of trust you can have in the quality of the end result, dwindles accordingly.

Secondly, but to still carry on with the trust angle; do you fully trust social media?

…

Thought so. Ultimately, a fascinating fact from the height of the pandemic was broadcast radio being the top source of COVID-related information, per a Nielsen study. If that doesn’t speak to trustworthiness, what does?

Radio: Accessible, so Your Business can be

For advertising mediums, it doesn’t get closer to universal, than radio.

Kitchens, gyms, walks, parties, cleaning frenzies, and work sessions are just the start of where and how radio reaches us (notice I didn’t even have to say car).

It can’t be overstated how valuable this is to advertisers. Knowing your business can enter the ears of prospective consumers as they’re doing just about anything, means your odds of being remembered far surpass other options.

And by the way, these prospective consumers aren’t randomized, oh no. Demographic targeting is an integral part of radio, meaning you place your campaigns on the stations that your core buyers listen to. It’s a match made in heaven.

Local Radio Means Local Reach & Support

Why did fireside chats work? It wasn’t FDR’s personality. Heck it wasn’t even the dire mood of the country. They worked because of the personal connection radio forges.

This works two ways in modern society. One, listeners develop that same type of connection with the voices that like FDR, keep them company on a daily basis - DJs and hosts. And if you think their standard hosting prowess keeps people tuned in, the power of their testimonials is even greater.

Two, the personal connection extends to community. There is a certain camaraderie that comes with local radio. People know they’re experiencing something their neighbors are too. So guess what they’re likely to do, when they hear about a local & neighborly business that offers a product or service they need? Support it by buying from it.

For Your Advertising, Trust What Humans Have Trusted for a Near-Century

Here we are, 89 years removed from the first fireside chat. People have labeled radio as doomed & dead, and it just continues to thrive.

We’ve thrived with it, and watched the Treasure Valley do the same with radio as a key enabler. Frankly, we love radio, but not as much as using it to see our local businesses thrive as well. So if your business is ready for growth, equipped to handle success, let’s chat and get your message heard on the top-rated radio stations in Boise.